Hope - A Lord Of The Rings Chronicle

The Terrible Twins

Eager to avoid both Gandalf and the twins, I spend the rest of the afternoon in my room, reading the tale of the King. I'm more than halfway, when a knock sounds on my door and Frodo's head appears.
"Hey!" I smile and stand up "Is it time to go?"
He nods silently. Although I can safely say Frodo is now one of my friends, it still doesn't mean he opens up to me that much. But I get that. The burden of the Ring is weighing on him, as well as the fact that we only just met a few days ago.

Frodo leads me across a hall, and down some steps until we come to red wooden door with a brass handle. He rasps softly.
"Uncle? It's me Frodo."

And its then that I feel one the most excited I've ever felt. I'm going to meet Bilbo Baggins. The Treasure Hunter himself!
"Come in my boy!" A soft, elderly voice replies. Frodo opens the door and signals me inside the room where there waiting for us, is the hobbit that started it all. Bilbo turns around and smiles at us as we enter.
"Ohhh." He laughs happily, clapping his hands together. His room is bright and warm, balcony overlooking the cliffs with the falls and their rushing water.

"This is Raina uncle," Frodo intrloduces "the girl I was telling you about."
I smile and hold out my hand to him. He grasps it with both hands.

"Lovely to meet you." I smile

"You too my dear." He taps my hand, before letting go and plodding over to his fire place. The hobbit leans back on a plump chair, snuggling into the cushions, and Frodo and I take our places in two rocking chairs in front of him. On the exquisitely carved coffee table lay a thick red book, with intricate carved patterns and a bright silver star. On the bottom lay Bilbo'a initials and my heart knew what it was before it was even opened. His memoir.

"Frodo tells me you saved his life." The hobbit's curly hair is steadily greying and whitening, his wrinkles deepening and breathing more laboured "From me, and everyone else, you have put deepest thanks."
I feel my cheeks growing warm.
"It was nothing really." I shrugged

"It was more than nothing, it was something!" Bilbo smiles, before pointing at me in thought "Something to which I now owe my allegiance."

I nod at Uncle Bilbo's calm and loving manner, and just nod my head in acceptance.
"Now, Frodo my boy, if you'd hand me my book, and that tray."

Frodo hands Bilbo his memoir, which he tucks under his arm, and then receives the tray of cakes. His chubby fingers wrap around a small sponge cake, an avaricious glint within his eye.

"I thought we could all take a spot of tea in here, eh? Nothing like story time on a full stomach."

I smirked. Hobbits. Food. Like the Buster and Arthur, Captain America and Bucky, Ham and cheese. There was not one without the other.
"Help yourself." Bilbo places the tray back down.

I pour myself a mug of tea, from a pot that was also on the table, pass a cupcake to Frodo, one to myself, and snuggle down comfortably.
"Now this, is a little journal of mine, detailing all my adventures," he began giddily "With dragons dwarves, and of course giant spiders."

I take in a breath. I'm actually going to hear the story of The Hobbit from The Hobbit himself! I feel like screaming. Bilbo chuckles at my excited eyes, though I tried my best to hide my eagerness.

"I'll begin quickly then..." he smoothed down the first page "Now...." The hobbit cleared his throat grandly, and Frodo smirked, sharing a look with me.

"Quiet." Bilbo orders sternly, but there's a twinkle in his eye, so Frodo and I share a small laugh.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." He began "Not a nasty, dirty, keyhole, filled with the ends of worms and woozy smells..."